I Believe In Action
by Miss Mello
Summary: Action's home is with the Jets. They're his family, his brothers and he couldn't imagine a life without them, or a world outside of the West Side. But there's a new girl on the block and she's seen the world outside of the West Side and has no intention of staying.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! The first time I saw West Side Story was in fourth grade. I had a great music teacher who discussed a wide variety of music with us, ranging from the nutcracker and the swanlake to alicia keys. In the first two semesters of fourth grade it was West Side Story time though and we analized it to great lenghts. The great thing about this teacher was that although we had classes about things that kids our age normally weren't very interested in (what ten year old boy, or girl for that matter, wants to see a three hour ballet and then rewatch it ten times?) he was so engaging and enthusiastic about what he taught that he swept us up with it completely. Well I've always loved West Side Story since the first time I've seen it and when I discovered the film wasn't available on the dutch netflix (my roommate has netflix! WHOOHOOH!) I decided to buy it. It will arrive the day after tomorrow and in preperation I started a fic based on my favourite Jet: ACTION!

ENJOY and READ and REVIEW!

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Action was a hothead as long as he could remember. He couldn't think of a time when he wouldn't kick someone's teeth in for calling him little or talking behind his back or about his mum and although his mother is never done talking about the innocent days of his childhood he simply thinks she remembers those days a little more rose-coloured than they actually were.

There wasn't a day when he wasn't out with his buddies, his family, the _Jets_ and as lieutenant he had a big responsibility too. Riff and Tony were the leaders of the gang Action cherished so much but if either of them put out a direct order it was partly onto Action to carry it out and make sure that the others did as well.

Action was with the gang almost from the beginning. Tony had seen him punch the living hell out of three bigger boys who had said something that Action didn't even hear very well but he was sure it wasn't good and the next day he and Riff had drafted him in. He was with the Jets now. He had some purpose.

When Action joined the gang, the gang had been tiny and the two others that had been in the gang then, two fellars called Drizzle and Rocky were gone soon anyway. Drizzle and his parents had moved to Chicago and Rocky had gotten tuberculosis and three months after Action got in he died of it.

But life moved on and Action never did have much time to get to know either of them and nor did Riff and Tony really.

Over the next years lots of people joined the gang thanks to Riff and Tony's undying enthusiasm, confidence and fearlessness and anyone in the Jets would follow them wherever they went, no matter how sticky the situation got.

About a year and a half after Action joined another boy joined, he was tall and had light blue eyes and a cool demeanour and Riff coined him Ice. Although Action stayed lieutenant, he knew it would be Ice who'd follow up Riff and Tony if the unlucky day ever came that the two of them kicked the bucket. Action was too heated, didn't think straight when he was angry (and he was angry a lot), couldn't plan out strategies. Ice could do those things. Action would be the lieutenant though because Action was the man you wanted by your side. Action got your back. He'd fight till either the enemy or he was dead, he was that loyal. Action didn't mind being lieutenant forever. He wouldn't have to think.

It was early in the spring, it was still too cold to lose the coat, when a new family settled in the West Side. New families settled all the time but since the winter it had been mainly Puerto Ricans. This family was white and Action heard they were from Europe somewhere. He didn't care. As long as they didn't interfere it didn't matter who they were.

There was a lot of buzz though because apparently they had a daughter that caught the eyes of many Jets. Action hadn't seen her yet but he had his girl Clarice so he shouldn't be thinking about other girls anyway. His loyalty didn't end with the Jets.

Around the same time Tony started showing up less and less to Jet meetings and hangouts. Riff said that he was dealing with some stuff but Action knew his friends well and knew it was something else. He didn't question it though.

March turned into April and the first time Action saw Bee was at school. Action rarely went to school anymore. Sometimes, when he went to pick up Clarice or Baby John he'd look around the building suspiciously like teachers would burst out of their classrooms and lock him up in the dreaded institution. They couldn't if they tried, he told himself. Besides, they wouldn't try anyway. He was a bad student and a rotten apple they often told his mother when he was younger.

He and A-Rab were standing outside the school waiting for Baby John, smoking cigarettes and kicking rocks, when the bell rang and students piled out of the double front doors. A-Rab nudged his shorter friend and pointed up the stairs to a pretty dark blonde girl with dark blue eyes and an icy smile. Action felt something stir at the bottom of his stomach but didn't show any of it. 'What!' He barked annoyed at A-Rab and A-Rab, used to his friend's stormy moods, nudged him again.

'It's that girl we've been talking about, the new one. She's a looker, ain't she?' He said and Action saw no choice but to agree. 'That's the chick, eh?' He asked contemplatively. The girl passed them and her eyes passed over A-Rab nonchalantly and landed on Action. They lingered a bit and then the corners of her mouth turned up just a little bit more. She was gone before Action had time to think about what that meant.

'Rabbit!' A shrill voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up to see Pauline, A-Rab's girlfriend, bound down the stairs landing in her boyfriend's arms. Clarice and Graziella, Riff's girl, came after her. 'Rabbit, honey, how nice of you to pick me up!' She shrieked, kissing his cheek. He put her down uncomfortably. 'We're here for Baby John actually..' He said and Action huffed annoyed at the uncertainty in his voice. Action was always certain.

'It's always the Jets..' Clarice piped in with Pauline's disappointed face, leaning down a bit to give Action a kiss. Action was unresponsive, feeling irritated. 'They're our gang, baby.' He said. 'But I am your girl.' Clarice said, snaking her arms around his neck and pecking his lips another time. He took her arms and disbanded her from around him though, not so easily distracted. 'You knew what you were getting into.' He said and Clarice exhaled in a frustrated manner. Graziella was checking her make-up in the little mirror she had slipped out of her purse she had with her instead of a schoolbag and Pauline was busy retidying her precious 'Rabbit's' hair.

Action saw the thin form of Baby John walk down the stairs and he strode up to him to grab him by the shoulder, a bit high up for the short Action and steer him away from the school. 'Come on bunny-boy.' He said mockingly to A-Rab, hitting him in the shoulder as they passed him. 'I'll drop by tonight.' He said to Clarice and she pouted at him. 'You better, darling.' She said.

As they walked off Graziella called after them 'Tell Riff I'm waiting for him to take me out!' but Action strode on, pushing his fellow Jets on. 'What are we? Your messenger boys?' He shouted back but as he rounded the corner he could see Baby John hold up his thumb for Graziella to see, to signal he'd pass the message along.

That night Action went by Clarice's place. She lived with her parents and two older brothers and none of them liked Action one bit so when he wanted to visit he'd have to come by the fire escape. Her window was already opened a bit when he started to knock on it.

She was sitting at her vanity, applying the brush of one of her silly make-up things to her cheeks. She didn't turn around when he jumped from the window into her room but he saw her eyes shift to him in the mirror. 'Hi baby.' He said, walking forward.

He laid his hands on her shoulders, leaning forward to kiss her neck and he felt her shiver slightly under his touch. He felt silently proud to have such an effect on a girl. 'Action, come sit with me.' She said, moving to the side and patting the now free space next to her.

He moved to sit next to her, his arm still around her shoulder and he looked at her in the mirror. She looked at him. 'Action, I want you to start making nice with my family.' She said testily and Action shot up immediately, angrily opening his mouth, but she had a hold of his arm and pushed him back down. 'Come now Action, they'll like you once they get to know you.' She said but Action wasn't convinced.

'No, they won't. I've finked their only girl away from them.' Action said, pulling his arm away and sitting on his hands. Clarice smiled. 'And I'm thrilled that you did.' She purred, rubbing his neck and turning his face so he'd look at her. 'Just come by the front door once and we'll see what happens.' She said softly and he nodded unwillingly.

She swung both her legs over his and pulled herself onto his lap, kissing him deeply and his worries were forgotten in a second. He kissed her back forcibly, pushing her backwards until she was laying on the little bench in front of her vanity and he was laying on top of her. He didn't cease kissing her as he started unbuttoning her sweater and her hands were in his hair.

'C'mon honey..' Clarice murmured against his lips. 'The bed..' and after a few more seconds he lifted himself off her and they both hurried themselves to the bed, Clarice getting rid of her tights quickly and Action kicking off his shoes and quickly losing his pants. He jumped on the bed with her, laughing at her giggle as he lowered himself onto her but they both jump back up when there's a knock on the door.

'Clarice, can I come in?' Brother number two asked and Clarice shrieked at him that she wasn't decent. Action quickly picked up his clothes and ducked into the closet and Clarice put on a robe. 'My shoe, my shoe!' Action hissed from the closet and Clarice kicked the forgotten shoe under the bed, before opening the door.

Clarice was quite tiny, one of the reasons Action liked her although she was still just a tiny bit taller than he was, and her hair was a dark auburn but her brothers, both of them, were tall as trees, although a bit lanky, and their hair was a lot lighter. She took after their father Action knew, whose hair was also quite dark.

'I was just about to go to bed, Marty, what do you want?' Clarice asked impatiently, her shoulder length hair dishevelled. She was slightly out of breath. 'Chill it Clarice, I just came to talk. We'll be done in a minute.' He said and he pushed Clarice down to the bed, sitting down next to her. 'I just wanted to talk to you about boys.' He said and Clarice's eyes shifted to the closet in which Action was hiding, clutching his pants and one shoe.

'What about them?' Clarice asked, slightly more nervous than a second before. 'Well, I've noticed that you're pretty popular at school and after that little thing a couple of weeks ago..' He said and Clarice frowned at him. 'You mean when you, Sean and dad chased my _boyfriend_ out of the house before I could even properly introduce him to you?' She asked him sceptically and Marty looked annoyed at her description of the incident but he nodded anyway.

'He's a good for nothing hoodlum, Clarice. He's in a gang, dropped out of school and doesn't even have a job. And you should know about his mother.' He said and Action fell his blood began to boil as he mentioned his mum. Clarice stuck her nose in the air. 'I don't care what you think of him.' She said and Marty stood up from the bed in his frustration.

'I'm just saying that you should be careful with the boys around you because they're all after only one thing.' He said mysteriously, not aware that Action had already gotten that one thing a long time ago. Clarice got up as well, pushing her brother out of the room. 'Action is lovely, get over it.' She said, slamming the door shut behind him.

Action fell out of the closet when she opened the doors and tackled her to the floor with him. She went to kiss him with a flirty smile on her face but he got to his feet quickly, shooting into his pants. 'I should go.' He said hastily. She looked hurt but didn't say anything as she sat up and watched him fish his left shoe from under her bed.

'See you around, honey.' He said, pressing a kiss to her cheek and escaping through her window, his shoes in hand. He ran down the stairs, sitting down at the last step to put on his shoes, quickly tying them before bolting out of the alley. He slowed down as soon as he got to the street, feeling at comfort in the tarmac jungle of which he and his buddies were kings.

He stalked down the sidewalk and saw two people coming his way in the distance. His back tensed as he narrowed his eyes at the two but he relaxed when he saw that one of them was a girl and they both had too light a skin to be Puerto Rican.

As they came closer he saw that the girl was the girl he had seen that afternoon, the one who A-Rab had pointed out. The one the Jets had been nudging each other about ever since she came to the city two weeks prior.

With her was a younger looking boy that looked a lot like her so Action assumed he was her brother but he didn't care much either way because he was too busy looking the girl up and down. He stopped short in his step and looked at her as the two passed and he saw her looking him up and down as well. And then she winked.

She quickly looked in front of her again, grabbing her brother's arm and stepping up her pace but Action had seen it and it had left him befuddled and dazed, walking on again. What a girl. Her light caramel hair bouncing off her neck, pinned up in loose curls. Her smooth, white skin shining in the street lights and her dark, piercing blue eyes.

It was all but luck that Action got to Doc's candy store unharmed as he wasn't paying much attention to all that was around him. The bell above the door rang as he walked in and the Jets that were still hanging around there greeted him enthusiastically. 'Back already Action? I figured you'd be a while if you were visiting Clarice.' Big Deal commented but Action shoved him off his barstool, sitting on it himself instead. Big Deal knew better than to argue it and trailed, muttering half-hearted insults under his breath, off to the back of the joint.

The bell rang again and Riff came in, Graziella hanging off his arm. Action threw a lost bottle cap that was laying on the bar at Baby John's head, who rubbed his forehead acceptingly. 'You played messenger, Baby John?' Action asked, momentarily feeling annoyed with the youngest member of the Jets. 'Ah, lay off him, will you?' A-Rab said, sticking up for his friend.

'What's this friction brewing among the ranks?' Riff said loudly, laying his arms around Action and A-Rab's shoulders. Action grunted, flipping out a cigarette and lighting it with another grunt. A-Rab just shrugged. 'Eh, what's up Action-boy? You seem off. More than usually I mean, hehe.' Riff said, smacking him on the shoulder.

'Clarice threw him out!' Big Deal piped up from the back. 'I thought I told you to shut it!' Action shouted back at him, getting up from the stool but Riff pushed him back down. 'Easy Action-boy.' He warned his hothead lieutenant. 'Is that true then? Your girl ditched you?' He asked and Action shook his head. 'Of course she didn't.' He said, taking a drag of his cigarette. Riff laughed, pulling up a chair to sit next to Action. 'Quite confident there, aren't you?' He commented.

'Action, I hope I ain't intruding on some private matters here –' Riff said 'You probably are.' Action interjected but Riff ignored him '–but you gotta cool it. We know how you are and we love you for it, but lately it's been getting worse.' Riff said and the boys around them nodded timidly. Action let the cig dangle between his lips as he turned to look at his brothers.

'It's them bleeding Spics!' Action said and as soon as he said it everyone roared in approval of that statement. 'We are barely rid of 'm Emeralds and now those Sharks are popping up everywhere. I'm sick of those stinking PR's!' He shouted out and Riff nodded, patting his arm.

'You're right, Action, you're right. Them stinking PR's are walking our turf like it's theirs. Like we haven't fought with blood and skin to call it ours.' Riff said and silently everyone in the store admired the way Riff always formulated what he felt. Not only did it sound great, you could also tell that he really meant it.

Before anyone, let alone Riff, could add to that, Doc entered his own store via the back, carrying a crate of soda. 'What are you kids still doing here. It's almost eleven, go home!' He said tiredly but all his words did was make everyone settle down from their excited stands, leaning back in their chairs again.

When Doc disappeared to the back for a second time A-Rab jumped back up. 'Me and Action saw the new chick again today, didn't we Action?' A-Rab said and Action nodded as he reached over the bar counter to grab a soda out of the crate. 'Yeah, we saw her at the school.' A-Rab continued, encouraged by Action's nod.

'What's it with you boys' obsession with the broad..!' Graziella said indignantly and Riff laughed as he swung his arm around her waist. 'Are you feeling jealous, Graz?' He asked her and she stuck her nose in the air. 'You know more about her?' Joyboy asked Graziella and she shrugged and Action could tell that, although not very pleased with the subject, she was very pleased to be the centre of attention and the source of information.

'She's in my year but she's in a different class. Wilma says she and her family moved down here from Denmark though.' Graziella said and all boys in the store were hanging off her lips, except for Riff, who was calmly tracing patterns on his girlfriend's dress with his fingers, and for Action, who sat with his back turned, moodily drinking his soda, thinking of lighting another ciggie.

'Oh and she has a twin brother!' Graziella added. 'He's called Emil and he's in my class. He's really thin and he looks like he's twelve.' She leaned on Riff's shoulder. 'Wilma says her old man's an accountant and they moved here because he got busted for fraud back at wherever home is for them.' Graziella finished and everyone frowned, thinking about what the redhead had just told them. Action didn't want to think about it.

In the next twenty minutes everyone piled out of Doc's, either going home or going to the other's home, but Action stayed seated at the counter and when lastly Graziella and Riff left, Riff squeezed Action's shoulder. 'Take care of yourself, buddy-boy.' He said and Action looked over his shoulder, the hint of a smile on his face. 'I could say that to you. Make sure you can walk in the morning, will you?' Action said and Riff let out a bellowing laugh, smacking him on his back. 'The nerve on that fellow!' He said to Graziella as he walked out. She gave him a questioning glance, not having heard their soft conversation.

Action sat alone for another ten minutes before Doc appeared again. 'Action, kid, why don't you go home like your friends. It can't be that bad, right?' Doc said, referring to his mum's stay-at-home-job and it was that Action was completely certain that Doc meant well, he was a good egg, or he would've crippled him for mentioning it. Instead he settled on a glare.

Doc sighed and said; 'You can stay the night here. Better to have you ruin your posture by sleeping on the floor than get into trouble on the streets.' He offered tiredly and Action didn't answer him but just stood up from his stool, politely waiting for Doc to get him a blanket and perhaps a pillow if he could spare one.

Once he got it he told Doc good night and went to nest himself beside the jukebox, out of sight from the shop window. He waited for the sound of Doc locking up and the click of the backdoor closing as he left for his apartment upstairs, before closing his eyes.

Action turned around and opens his eyes again, sitting up a bit. The floor was extremely uncomfortable. He put his head in his hands, groaning softly. Why couldn't he keep his cool a bit more? He had no problem being as action-driven as he was, but sometimes being able to look ahead and judge situations fairly had to come in handy.

Action now regretted storming off earlier that night. Clarice had done nothing wrong, she couldn't help being related to a drip like her brother. If he had taken a deep breath instead of jumping barefoot out of her window he would've had a perfectly nice bed to share with a pretty girl like Clarice. But he had bolted off in anger again.

Action groaned again, flopping down on the hard floor as he thought of his girlfriend. He'd have to go by her school the next day, try and apologize. He was never very good with apologies, but he'd try. Perhaps he could sleep in her bed the next night then instead of on Doc's floor.

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I had half a mind to make the girl a redhead AGAIN but I decided against it. Just because I'm utterly obsessed with redheads, doesn't mean I should shove it onto the rest of the world.

There aren't nearly enough Action fics around by the way, although there's one REALLY good one called Action's Girl, but that hasn't been updated in years so I'm feeling slightly negative about that one. If you go to the reviews on that story though you see my dozens of desperate attempts spread out over two years of me trying to get the uploader to write more XD it's really pathetic.

Love from ME

and again; don't forget to review!


	2. Chapter 2

Here's the next chapter guys! Thanks to those lovely people who reviewed the story, I'm seriously happy about them. Pleaaaase tell me what you think about this chapter too! Everything you think, good or bad, I want to know (:

West Side Story ain't mine but please REVIEW anyway

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Action woke up because of the little bell above the front door rang. He sat up a bit and looked around, sleepily rubbing his eyes. He heard someone walking around and assumed it was Doc so he took not much notice from it but he quickly did when someone shrieked.

He jumped up from the floor, already ready for a fight, but it was just a girl. He took a double take. It wasn't just any girl. It was _the_ girl. 'Oh God, you frightened me!' She said in a soft voice, her hand on her heart and a relieved smile on her face. Her accent was weird, definitely not New Yorkese. It sounded quite singsong and she swallowed half her consonants, which made it hard for Action at first to understand what she was saying. He remembered Graziella saying she was from Denmark.

'Well, what were you sneaking up on me for then?' Action said, relaxing as he realized there was no danger. The girl raised her eyebrows. 'I wasn't exactly expecting someone to be sleeping on the floor of this shop.' She said and Action shrugged, deciding that was fair.

He picked up the blanket and pillow and laid them on the table in a big heap. The girl eyed it and when Action frowned at her, she bit her lip and went to fold up the blanket. Action rolled his eyes. _Girls_ he thought.

'So, why are you sleeping here? Does Doc know you're here?' She asked and he nodded. 'Who do you think gave me the blanket and pillow?' He asked her and she shrugged, laying the pillow on top of the now folded blanket. 'I don't know, just asking.' She said and Action walked towards the counter, pulling a coke from underneath the countertop. He was about to open it when he looked back at the girl. 'You want one?' He asked and she seemed to think about it for a second before she nodded. 'Yeah, that'd be nice.' She said and he threw her a bottle, which she caught expertly. She sat down on the chair and he hopped up onto the counter and they both sipped their coke in silence.

'So, what's your name?' She asked him. 'They call me Action.' He answered, sitting up a big straighter, proud of his nickname. She nods, looking at him expectantly. He frowns back at her. She sighed and he senses she's annoyed. 'Well, my name is Beatrice, thanks for asking.' She said eventually, putting down the half empty bottle on the table and standing up. 'Well, if Doc isn't here, I better go.' She said, picking up her coat and purse, which Action hadn't noticed before, that were laying on a barstool.

'Wait, you're here for Doc?' He asked her, catching her arm. Action saw her eyes shoot down to where his fingers went around her arm before settling on him again. 'Well, I wasn't here for you.' She said with half a smile and Action couldn't help himself but chuckle.

He let her go and went to the backdoor. 'He's often in the back and doesn't hear the doorbell.' Action said, opening the door. 'Doc! You have a customer!' He shouted down the stairs. He heard a muffled answer from Doc and he let the door fall closed again.

'He'll be here in a second.' He told Beatrice. She smiled at him and Action felt something stir inside of him. 'Thanks.' She said. Action jumped back up on the counter. 'So your name is Beatrice?' He asked, by means of making up for not asking earlier. She nodded, the smile not leaving her face. 'Yeah, but I don't like how you Americans pronounce it so everyone calls me Bea or Bee.' She said and Action laughed. He was about to say more, something funny he hoped, when Doc interrupted.

'Oh, Bea, you're here for the crate, right?' He asked, ducking underneath the counter, pulling out a crate filled with soda bottles. 'Thank you very much.' Bee said, taking the heavy crate from him and swinging her purse over her shoulder. 'I'll see you around Action.' She said to Action and Action nodded in goodbye to her. She walked out the door.

Doc nudged Action's shoulder. 'What the hell was that for!' Action immediately shouted out but Doc was used to his temper and ignored it. 'What kind of a gentleman are you, letting a lady walk a heavy crate home all by herself?' He asked Action and Action frowned at that and then groaned. 'See you around Doc.' He said, running out the door, after Bee.

She was already halfway down the street when Action caught up with her. He suddenly noticed how tall she was. She was a lot taller than Clarice who he was pretty much at the same height with, but Bee was an easy five centimetres taller than Action, the top of his head only reaching her eyes.

'Here, let me help you with that.' Action said, making a grab for the crate. Bee wasn't so easy to let go though. 'No, I've got it, it's fine.' She said, keeping hold of the crate. Together they wrestled for the right to carry the crate and although shorter, Action was a lot stronger so in the end he tore it from her delicate looking hands.

'You're a dame, you shouldn't have to.' He grunted in the end. Bee said nothing, just looked a little peeved, as he walked alongside her. 'You live close by?' He asked as they rounded the corner. She nodded. 'Just up the street from here.' She answered him.

She was right, she did live very close by. She tried the door handle of the front door, but the door jammed and she had to rough it up to open it. She held the door open for him and he stepped in, walking up the stairs. 'We're the second door at the top floor.' She called up as she walked after him. 'Why do you need so many soda bottles anyway? Big family?' He asked seriously but she laughed. 'No, my father's birthday is tomorrow so my mother ordered a crate from Doc's.' She explained, walking past him once they reached the top floor, so she could open the door for him. He stepped in after her.

'_Mor_!?' Bee called out, hanging her coat off a rack next to the door. '_Jeg er her_!' Her mother called back. Action was assuming that this was all Danish because he didn't understand a word of it. He followed Bee as she walked into the kitchen and he saw a young woman standing by the sink, cleaning carrots by the looks of it.

'Oh, you've brought a friend!' She said in the same accent as Bee's, although a lot heavier. 'I just met him actually. He was at Doc's and offered to carry the crate for me.' Bee said. '_Mor_, this is.. Eh, Action he says he's called.' She said, introducing Action. 'Action, this is my mother, Stine Hendriksen.' She said, gesturing towards her mother.

'You can put the crate down on the table.' Mrs Hendriksen told Action and Action did as he was told. 'Would you like a soda for the trouble?' Bee's mother asked Action but Action shook his head. 'No, I've already had one at Doc's. I'm good.' He answered her. He shoved his hands in his pockets. 'I better be off again. I have to meet some people.' He said. Mrs Hendriksen nodded, pushing her daughter in the shoulder. 'See him to the door, _min pige_.' She said and Bee nodded.

She walked all the way downstairs with him, to make sure the door didn't jam again and he stood on her sidewalk, looking back at her. 'Your mother looks young.' He commented and Bee shrugged. 'My parents married very young.' She explained vaguely. Action nodded. Family was complicated. He didn't need to have that explained to him.

'So, maybe, if you want to, you could come by Doc's later today. Me and a couple of my buddies will be there.' He said, not quite sure why he said it. To help out his fellow Jets, he told himself. They all wanted to meet her so badly, he'd be a jerk not to grab this opportunity for them.

Bee seemed to think about it for a minute and then nodded. 'Yeah, I'd like that.' She said and a smile spread over her face and for a moment he felt like a dear caught in the headlights, the insides of his stomach feeling gooey and nervous. A second later he regained his senses and said; 'Well, I guess I'll see you later then.' He said. He turned on his feet and sprinted off towards the playground, hoping to find A-Rab or Big Deal already up and about.

He had met Big Deal and Gee-Tar instead and they had jumped a couple of Sharks that had dared to get onto their territory. They had taken their belts away from them and the boys had run off, holding their pants up for dear life.

Later that day Action had gone by the school and convinced Clarice to skip class for him. In the beginning she had been a bit miffed about how he had left her the night before, but he had taken her to see a midday show at the movies and she had brightened up after that. Not that they saw much of it. It was a romantic picture with Debbie Reynolds in the lead but they could've gone to the bugs bunny movie just as well for all they watched it.

It was almost four, most of the Jets had shown to Doc's by now and most of their girls had too. Clarice was leaning against Action's chest, nested between his legs as he sat on top of the counter. Action had already forgotten about the Danish girl from that morning.

The door jingled and everyone looked around to see who came in and all conversation lulled as they realized it was the girl they had all been talking about. Bee's eyes shifted over the predominantly male crowd and eventually landed on Action who was feeling extraordinarily aware of Clarice in between his legs, her hands up and in his hair.

'Eh..' She murmured uncomfortably. 'Hi Action.' She said eventually and all eyes that had previously been on Bee now turned to him. He grew angry in his discomfort. 'Everyone.' He said to the store 'This is Bee. Bee, these are the Jets.' He said, impatiently introducing the two parties to each other. Bee waved, seemingly feeling as uncomfortable about the whole ordeal as him.

Riff was the first to break the silence. 'Action, buddy, you didn't tell us you got cosy with the new chick.' He said and Action could feel Clarice tense up against his chest. Action couldn't laugh about it either. 'We didn't get cosy or nothing!' He said loudly and Bee shook her head fervently. 'We met here this morning and he said I could come hang out with you for a bit.' She said and everyone stared at her. 'I'm new after all.' She added uncertainly in her soft accent.

That was enough and every Jet jumped up, swarming the poor girl, asking how she was doing and how she was liking New York and if she'd want to go out sometimes and Action pulled out a cigarette in annoyance. Riff pushed Graziella aside and nudged Action approvingly. 'Good job, Action-boy, I know a lot of the boys have been looking for an opening!' He said and Action grunted.

Clarice was itching to get back into her boyfriend's spotlight. She turned around a bit, moving possibly even closer to him and she leaned in close to his ear. 'Why don't we pick up where we left off at the nickelodeon?' She whispered seductively and Action did like the sound of that. He leaned into her, nuzzling her neck. 'Where?' He murmured against her throat and she giggled. 'Meet me at my place in fifteen. I'll be waiting.' She said and Action nodded as she pulled back. She kissed him quickly and then sprinted out of the store in a hurry. Action hoped she'd be wearing the lacy pair of lingerie. He liked that one.

He lazily smoked his cigarette as he looked at his fellow Jets try to get anywhere with Bee. It didn't seem to be working as she politely refused all of them and made her way to Action. 'Hi there.' She said. 'Where's your.. Friend?' She asked him, referring to Clarice. It somehow irritated him that she asked about her.

'She went home.' He replied to her, flicking his cigarette out the still open door. She nodded pensively. 'So..' She said in a whispery tone as if she didn't want anyone to hear. 'What are these Jets exactly?' She asked and Action frowned. She raised her eyebrows at his face. 'Sorry, was I supposed to know? I'm afraid it's not really a thing in Copenhagen.' She said in excuse of herself but she said it with a wink.

'_We_ are the Jets.' Action answered her question, spreading his arms. 'It's our gang.' He added at her confused glance. She didn't look any less confused after that statement though. 'Your _gang_?' She asked in disbelief. 'What's that about?' She asked and Action didn't really know how to answer that. Luckily Riff seemed to be listening.

'The Jets are the kings, girlie.' He said and Bee's intense gaze shifted from Action to Riff. 'We own these streets and if someone tries to take it from us, we cripple 'm.' He said and Bee shrugged. 'Okay, whatever you say.' She said, apparently still not understanding. Action narrowed his eyes at her. If she was going to stay in New York she better dig it soon and dig it good.

Riff seemed to agree with Action. 'Exactly, honey, whatever we say. Whatever we say goes.' Riff said. 'You're from Europe, right? They've got kings where you come from.' He said and Bee nodded hesitantly. 'The Danish Royal House is the oldest in Europe actually. Over a thousand years old.' She answered and Action realized that everyone was listening in. 'Ooh, ain't that fancy!' Snowboy said mockingly and everyone snickered. Bee didn't seem fazed by it.

'Well, you're in America now, baby and here _we_ are the only kings you need to worry about.' Riff said and Bee nodded again but now she seemed to understand more of what he was saying. 'Well, it's a good thing you boys like me, right?' She asked and Action was surprised how two seconds ago she gazed at Riff intently, not worried about anything at all, but now she was batting her eyelashes like Graziella had taught her herself.

Every boy in the place quickly agreed with her and Action noticed Riff giving her an appraising look. Graziella looked a bit less appraising. Action slipped off the countertop and patted Riff on the back. 'I'm going to see Clarice. I'll see you tonight.' He said. 'Don't hurry!' He called after with a laugh. Before Action walked out the store he turned around for Bee. He caught her looking at him but she didn't look away, just smiled at him. He didn't know what to do with himself and gave her a curt nod before taking off towards Clarice's place.

He was in luck. Clarice was indeed wearing the lacy number he was hoping for but as she pulled him down to her bed he could only imagine what it would look like on a certain other girl.

From that day on Bee seemed to be spending more and more time with the Jets although she never expressed any desire to belong with the Jets. She didn't hook up with any of them and if they talked Jet business she made sure she was occupied with something else. It annoyed Action to no ends. The Jets were the greatest and they didn't want just anybody in their midst but they had all taken to the Danish girl at first sight. For her to not even show interest? It felt insulting. Especially because she was Danish. She wasn't an American and although her accent was refined and her English was good, she was no New Yorker. She was just an immigrant. She should be honoured that they had adopted her in the streets.

Action knew it irked Riff too. Most Jets weren't aware of everything that was going on. Ice probably knew, he always seemed to do, Tony would know if he'd show up for once. Riff had been especially gracious towards her, expecting her to take it just as graciously but every time she'd smile politely if one of the Jets asked her out or she'd silently get out when they started talking about fighting one of the other gangs, the frown on the Jet leader deepened. Action wondered when he'd have enough of it.

The same didn't go for her brother though. Her twin brother, Emil, was itching to get into the Jets. Riff was having none of it though. His sister was one thing. She was a girl, so she could never be a Jet anyway and the boys liked her. Having a girl around for kicks, immigrant or not, was all okay. She was white so it didn't complicate anything really.

Having a non-American actually in the Jets was something different entirely. Besides, although Bee was hot as a stove, her brother was a bit like Baby John and having one of them was more than enough. Emil was older than Baby John though, although he looked perhaps even younger. Still, Action got to admit he was persistent. Every day he'd show up with his sister and soon after he kicked out again. Bee had started to leave with him though and after a while Emil was allowed to sit by the door and not come any closer. He was taking it though.

It was fascinating, really, how much two twins could be so different. They seemed close despite their differences and although they weren't inseparable, they were seen together a lot and Bee always seemed to pop up behind Emil when one of the Jets was picking on him, smiling one of her charming smiles and asking if anything was wrong.

Action didn't really talk to her, apart from some comments in passing, since the day they met and that was largely due to his growing annoyance with the girl. A smaller part of him just didn't like the strange little pinches he'd get in his stomach every time she smiled in his general direction.

'You better not hog her!' Big Deal told Action one day as they stood against the wall in the playground. Bee was sitting next to her brother, their backs leaning against the fence and Bee was flipping through a book. She seemed to be doing that a lot. Reading.

'Hog who?' Action asked, pretending to be dumb. 'Bee!' Big Deal said, stomping him on the shoulder. Action stomped him back a lot harder immediately and Big Deal, who was two heads taller than him, quickly accepted defeat before Action could get his temper started. 'I ain't hogging nobody.' Action said after a few moments.

'Sure you are!' Big Deal replied. 'She don't look at any of us twice but always notices when you enter the room.' He said and Action didn't know how to respond to that. 'Well, I got Clarice and don't care about the chick.' He said eventually. 'Maybe you should let her know.' Big Deal opted and Action shrugged moodily.

Action was walking home, flanked by Diesel and A-Rab. He wasn't eager to perhaps seeing his mum again, but he desperately needed a change of clothes, mostly because Clarice was starting to complain about it. He considered the possibility of storing his clothes in Doc's basement, along with the armoury, but he told himself to decide on that later.

He told his friends to wait outside for him and he ran up the stairs of the building. He was about to open the door to his mum's apartment when it was already opened from the inside. It was a man Action didn't know but his hair was tousled and his tie was undone. Action didn't know who he was but he could guess what he was doing there.

'Sorry kid, didn't know she had another one waiting.' The man said to Action with an uncomfortable smile but Action shoved him to the side, too angry to talk, and he dashed in. 'Felix, what are you doing here?' He heard his mother call after him as he stalked past her but he ignored and banged open his bedroom door, throwing off his shirt quickly and going through his dresser for another one.

He heard his mum say goodbye to her _friend_ but then the pitter-patter of her footsteps led to Action's room, stopping at the threshold of the open door. 'Felix, _mein Junge_, why did you come home?' She asked him accusingly, a distinct German accent on her voice. Action found a relatively clean shirt and pulled it over his head, spinning around to face her. 'You expect me to keep wearing the same shirt forever?' He asked her venomously and she narrowed her eyes at him.

'Well, alright then, would you like a cup of tea?' She asked him with a melodramatic sigh, turning around and walking off towards the kitchen. 'No, a couple of buddies of mine are waiting for me!' Action called out from his bedroom as he switched his pants too. He picked up his shoes and went to the kitchen, sitting down at one of the chairs to put them back on.

His mother scoffed. 'Your buddies..' She said mockingly. 'I've seen the boys you've been running off with.' She commented but Action jumped up from his chair, without having tied his left shoe. '_You_-' He spat, jabbing a finger at her '-have _nothing_ to say about none of them!' He told her.

There was a tense silence in the kitchen as Action tried to keep his temper under control and his mum looked at him, surprisingly looking both hurt and sceptical at the same time. She decided to ignore Action's outburst. 'Your cousin is coming over this weekend.' She said and Action's shoulders deflated, and he sat back down to tie his left shoe.

'I'll make sure to stop by.' Action said. 'You better. Astrid loves hanging out with you.' His mum said. Action grunted at that as he stood up. He patted his pockets to make sure he had had taken the switchblade out of his old pants and then went to leave the kitchen. 'Oh, Felix?' His mother called, stopping him just as he was about to walk out. He looked over his shoulder, a questioning look on his face. '_Ich liebe dich_.' She said and he sighed heavily as he turned back around and left the apartment.

All the way back to Doc's Action kept quiet and A-Rab and Diesel didn't push him. They knew Action always turned a bit in himself short after he's seen his mother. He would revert to his old self sooner rather than later so they didn't worry, but it did always feel a bit eerie when Action merely shot you a glare when you made a joke at his expense instead of just beating you to pulp like her normally was prone to do.

Action was thinking. Whenever he and his mother crossed things usually got really cross really quick. He didn't understand his mother and he didn't really want to understand his mother but his mum was tougher than he gave her credit for.

His mother, Andrea Klein, was born in New York but her parents had never learned English when they moved to America before and at home the native language had been German so little Andrea had only started learning English when she was nearly twelve and the city finally found out that there was an unregistered child living in Yorkville that had never seen the inside of a school. Yorkville was a German neighbourhood. English was as foreign to her as Chinese.

When she finally did start to grasp the concept of the English language, she started crossing the borders of the neighbourhood and found the Italians to the west. And one Italian in particular. Andrea Klein fell head over heels for Nicky Sisco, Dominic to his mother, and after a while Nicky started to notice the loudmouth German girl too.

After four years they got married but Nicky's grandmother, who was a fanatic Catholic, made Nicky get an annulment against the protestant-raised Andrea. Andrea packed her stuff and moved to the other side of Manhattan without telling anyone out of humiliation and heartbreak and if all of that hadn't been bad enough, two weeks after her move she had found out she was pregnant with a baby boy.

Life was rough on Andrea. She was a knocked up German dame living on her own and with World War Two just begun there was not a hand of comfort offered to her. That's when she started doing _favours_ for men when they paid enough and after even her measly cleaning job decided to kick her to the curb, these favours became her job.

December 1940 Felix Klein was born. She had considered giving the boy his father's family name but considering her father didn't even know he had a son and Andrea hated his family intensely, she decided to keep the boy completely to herself and give him her name too.

Despite the German name, Felix didn't grow up to look very German. Andrea was blond and tall and had green eyes but Felix was dark in every way, with dark hair and dark eyes and skin that tanned easily in the sun. Even his mood was dark a lot of the time. Andrea, who was determined to give her son a good home when he was born and she first laid eyes on his tiny little face, found it hard to look at him as he looked exactly like his father.

But for better or for worse, she raised the kid and loved him but her so called career was a strain on their relationship. She took business home up till he was still a toddler, locking him into his room when there was a _client_, but when he got older he started to ask question and she decided he was old enough to stay at home alone and she started working the streets.

And four year old Action hit the streets as well, in an entirely different way naturally. He fought with the other kids and consequently earned their respect, played baseball and basketball, stole apples and records and hung out at Doc's. He was almost seven when his mother remembered that he had to go to school. It didn't last very long. He quit school when he was fourteen, the day after he joined the Jets. The Jets was all he needed now. Speaking of Jets.

'Action, buddy-boy, what are you cracking that thick skull of yours about?' Riff's voice cut through Action's thoughts and Action looked up in a daze. With a start he realized that he and the boys had arrived at Doc's and his fellow Jets were lounging outside of the shop in the sun. Riff was sitting in the centre of the semi circle and looked at Action with a laugh on his face.

Action was faintly aware of Diesel and A-Rab giving Riff subtle shakes with their heads but Action just shrugged and sat down on the steps to the front door of the shop, pulling out a cigarette in silence. Everyone shot each other a meaningful glance but then quickly started conversation up like normal. Action felt silly and scolded himself for it. Usually he was always so alert to everything around him, always aware of the enemy trying to intrude on their turf, but now he arrived at Doc's, led by his friends without even the faintest of memory of walking there.

He blew out a frustrated puff of smoke and there was a slight lull in the conversation, which quickly flared up again before those frustrations could be taken out on any of them.

Action was mad at himself because he always got like that when he went to visit his mother. He didn't like himself like that. He wasn't sure if he liked himself to begin with really. He flicked his cigarette to the street and stood up. 'Are we going to bust some heads today or are we going to sit around like old geezers?' He proclaimed to the gang.

'Ease up Action.' Riff said, leaning over and patting him on the back and Action fell back down with a groan. 'Yeah, ease up Action-boy, we wouldn't want you hurt, would we?' Someone said and all the Jets looked up to see Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke step out of their patrol car. 'Who was on look-out!?' Riff snapped and the Jets turned to Baby John who turned red and shrugged sheepishly, muttering an apologizing 'Gee!'.

'I'll hurt _you_!' Action shouted out to Shrank, jumping back up from the stairs but A-Rab, Diesel and Ice quickly stepped out in front of him and Riff made sure to put his hand on his lieutenant's shoulder.

'Oh, boys, boys, let him!' Shrank said, waving his hands at the teenagers. 'It'll land him in the can one of these days, might as well be today!' He said but the Jets stayed quiet, even Action, who was hissing and huffing but not saying anything.

'Officer, officer!' Someone called from across the street. It was a girl's voice and for a moment no one could see where it came from but then they saw the girl running towards them. Action calmed down a bit in confusion as he realized it was Bee.

'What is it, honey?' Shrank asked and the Jets were surprised to suddenly hear him use a far more concerned tone of voice. 'My brother..!' She gasped, as she came to a halt in front of the two policemen. 'Some guys beat him up! A gang! It's really bad!' She said and Shrank was obviously charmed by the distraught looking girl.

'Where?' He asked, opening the passenger door of the patrol car. 'By the school!' Bee said and Krupke and Shrank tapped their hats to her and sped off in their car in the direction of the school. Bee looked after them and then turned to the boys. 'You owe me for that one.' She said with a smile and everyone started laughing. 'How about we get you a drink?' Riff asked with a wink and Action, after a quick look around, noted Graziella wasn't around.

'Lying worth an Oscar does make you thirsty.' Bee said laughing and everyone poured into Doc's. Action leaned against the wall next to the darts board, keeping his eyes narrowed on Riff as he pulled a coke from under the bar counter and put it in front of Bee as she sat perched on a stool.

'There you go, darling!' He said with a wink and Bee took a sip. Action's eyes narrowed even more. There was far too much winking for his liking. 'Tastes glorious.' Bee complimented him and Riff made a small bow.

Action didn't brighten up for the rest of the day. Riff kept winking at Bee and Bee kept smiling back at him and when Riff suddenly started touching her too, accidentally grazing her hand and playfully putting his arm around her shoulder or waist. Action couldn't stand it anymore and after a full hour of endurance he stood up straight, bumping Baby John in the shoulder and left Doc's, ignoring Riff's 'Where're _you_ going!?'

He wanted to see Clarice but she was at Graziella's. It was a sleepover, with some of the other girls, which is why the girls hadn't show up to Doc's and Riff felt like he didn't have to hold back on his self-proclaimed _easy charm_.

For a moment Action stood aimlessly on the corner of the street, deciding on what to do, but after a moment he figured that Clarice wouldn't mind him barging in (and if she did; too bad). Graziella was the one to open up. 'Action, what are you doing here? Did Riff send you?' She asked, a surprised look on her face. 'No, Riff's at Doc's, hey is Clarice here?' He asked and Graziella's face turned sour. 'We're having a sleepover Action, girls only.' She said and she started closing the door but Action pushed it back open. 'Call her.' He said and Graziella sighed annoyed.

'Clarice, your _boyfriend_'s here!' She shouted into the hall. There was a lot of giggling coming from the living room before Clarice came out. 'Don't abandon us for too long.' Graziella said before she left the two alone. 'Hi-ya Rizz-baby.' Action said.

She leaned forward (and down a bit) to give him a kiss in greeting. 'Hi Action, what are you doing here?' She asked. He leaned against the doorpost. 'Just wondering if you want to come out.' He said and Clarice looked back into the house. She looked back at him. 'I can't, sugar, you know that. Graziella is-' 'Screw Graziella!' Action called out but he quieted down as Clarice hit him in the shoulder and he stepped forward. 'Who the hell cares what _she_ thinks?' He asked her and Clarice giggled as he slipped his hands around her waist.

'Honey, Graziella's one of my best friends. I can't just ditch her. You wouldn't ditch the Jets, would you?' She asked him, fidgeting with the collar of his jacket. He let out a frustrated sigh and let go of his girlfriend's waist.

'Whatever, I'll see you tomorrow.' He said, turning on his heels. 'Oh, don't be mad with me Action!' She called after him but he ignored her calls and kept on marching down the hallway and down the stairs. He stood outside and knew he didn't want to go back to Doc's. He didn't know where he wanted to go instead though.

He took a moment to breath in the early evening air and then started walking. The night was still young and he could always stumble across something good later. He rounded a corner and bumped into someone else. He immediately jumped backwards, into a defensive position, but the figure that tripped over her feet and onto the ground wasn't offensive at all.

'Bee?' Action asked in surprise. 'What are you doing here?' But Bee quickly got to her feet, a distinct blush spreading over her cheeks and she pushed past him. 'Sorry, didn't mean to..' She just murmured, walking on but Action was suddenly feeling worried. She didn't seem well. He hurried after her and caught her wrist, stopping her.

'Hey, what's wrong? Did somebody bother you?' He asked her and she shook her head. 'No, I'm just heading home.' She said and Action frowned. 'Why, it's still early. Weren't you having fun at Doc's. With Riff..' He said, sounding more bitter than he intended to sound. She bit her lip as she gazed back at him. 'No, it wasn't for me.' She said dismissively.

She yanked her wrist loose from his grip and started walking again and Action watched her go.

When she rounded the corner he shook his head and stalked off the other way. His mind wandered towards the weekend. His cousin Astrid would come over. She came over every once in a while. She lived in the Bronx with her dad. Action felt of her like a sister. When he first introduced her to the Jets she got a fair bit of attention, but he quickly put an end to that. He loved his fellow gang members but they were no good for Astrid.

He wondered what Astrid would think of Bee. Or what Bee would think of Astrid. Action knew Astrid thought Clarice was a bimbo but he had told her to stuff it. She had told him to stuff Clarice. As impossible as it may seem, he could never stay angry at Astrid for long.

The streetlights flickered on and he looked up at the darkening sky. He couldn't see the stars, it wasn't dark enough for that anyway, but even if it was. You rarely saw any stars in New York.

* * *

I'm not too fast, but I'll try and be quicker with the next chapter. Make sure to check out my other stories as well, namely the Harry Potter and Beatles one.

Read and review!

Till next time!


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